16 SSHS Students To Attend BPA State Leadership Conference
Sixteen top students from Sulphur Springs High School will be attending the Business Professionals of America 2022 State Leadership Conference, in Fort Worth, Texas, March 2-5, 2022.
Twelve qualified outright and two others were named as alternates to state based on their performance at the Regional Leadership Conference . Alternate Mackenzie Posey, however, had been bumped up as a qualifier in the administrative support category when the SSHS team received their results.
Students from the Texas Association’s Regional Leadership Conference have qualified to participate at the state level conference. The conference emphasizes business workforce education and training which members of the local chapter of Business Professionals of America at Sulphur Springs High School have received.
The following students will be advancing to State competition:
| Admin Support Research Project (260-S) | 2 | Q | Emily | Atkinson |
| Basic Office Systems & Procedures (220-S) | 1 | Q | Matthew | Atkinson |
| Device Configuration & Troubleshooting (305-S) | 1 | Q | Jacob | Beggs |
| Advanced Office Systems & Procedures (225-S) | 1 | Q | Mika | Boren |
| Fundamental Word Processing (200-S) | 1 | Q | Kylie | Clarke |
| JAVA Programming (340-S) | 3 | Q | Andres | Flores |
| Prepared Speech (545-S) | 2 | Q | Ashland | Hooten |
| Human Resource Management (535-A) | 1 | Q | Foster | Jonah |
| Computer Network Technology (300-S) | 1 | Q | Ryan | Mitchell |
| Admin Support Research Project (260-S) | 3 | A | Mackenzie | Posey |
| Intermediate Word Processing Skills (205-S) | 1 | Q | Annaston | Price |
| Admin Support Research Project (260-S) | 1 | Q | Jaci | Robinson |
| Advanced Word Processing (210-S) | 1 | Q | Jacob | Semler |
| Fundamental Word Processing (200-S) | 4 | Q | Brooklyn | Shelton |
| Banking & Finance (145-S) | 5 | A | Macey | Williams |
| Advanced Office Systems & Procedures (225-S) | 2 | Q | Peyton | Willis |
Local chapter advisors are: Heath Robinson, Lynn Smith, and Jordan Owens.
SSHS BPA chapter members will join over 3,400 other conference delegates from across the state to participate in state level business skill competitions, general sessions, and the state officer candidate campaigns and elections. Besides having the opportunity to excel, they’ll experience Fort Worth as they visit the city’s exciting sites.
Business Professionals of America is a national organization for middle school, high school, and college students preparing for careers in business and office occupations. The organization’s activities and programs complement classroom instruction by giving students practical experience through application of the skills learned at school. Business Professionals of America acts as a cohesive agent in the nationwide networking of education and business and industry and is contributing to the preparation of a world-class workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills.
Oncor Working To Restore Power To 24,500 Customers, Including 507 In Hopkins County
Oncor damage assessment, vegetation management and power restoration personnel have been working since the winter storm’s arrival. Out-of-state utility partners are also supporting restoration efforts.
Freezing temperatures and hazardous road conditions are challenging crews, but work will continue 24 hours a day as long as weather conditions allow. Increased ice and wind impacts are expected to continue Thursday.
As of 12:20 p.m. Feb. 3, a total of 625 active power outages were reported, affecting 24,495 of the 3,835,901 customers in the Oncor service area. Approximately 507 of the 13,363 Hopkins County customers were reported to be affected by power outages in Oncor’s service area. Some locations showed an estimated restoration time of 2:30 p.m. Feb. 3, while some weren’t expected to have power restored until 5:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 4, 2022.
To report a power outage or check the status of an outage, use one of Oncor’s customer engagement options for the latest updates:
- Text OUT to 66267 on your cell phone or tablet
- Download the MyOncor App
- Visit www.Oncor.com to Report an Outage
- Call us at 888.313.4747
Safety for employees and the public is the number one priority, according to Oncor. The company advises, if you see a downed power line stay away, keep others and pets away and call 911 immediately.
Ice Covers Much Of Farmers Electric Cooperative Service Area
Approximately 2,269 Farmers Electric Cooperative members were without power at 8 a.m.
on Thursday after a large winter storm covered much of northeast Texas with ice beginning late
Wednesday and into this morning. Ice caused many trees to fall into the powerlines during the
overnight hours, which has caused widespread problems across the service area.
Most of the outages are near the Hunt and Hopkins County line in the Cumby and Campbell
communities, and outages are also spread throughout the western potion of the co-op’s service
territory.
Crews are reporting that road conditions are treacherous due to the freezing rain, sleet, as well
as trees in the road, which has all slowed restoration efforts. The bitterly cold morning
temperatures are also hampering restoration efforts. The National Weather Service showed
Greenville to be 25 degrees at 8 a.m., and temperatures are not expected to get above freezing
until briefly on Friday afternoon.
Additional contract crews were deployed Thursday morning to help with the restoration efforts.
Many tree trimming crews are also being deployed to help the line crews clear trees.
Outages can be reported and monitored at the Farmers EC online Outage Center
at FarmersElectric.coop. The co-op is also posting alerts to its website to keep members
updated on power restoration efforts.
Thursday afternoon & Friday Weather-Related Closures, Delays, Schedule Changes
The following weather-related closures, delays and schedule changes have been reported to KSST for the weekend of Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. (To report a schedule change to KSST, send an email to [email protected].)
Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022
- Due to inclement weather, all Alliance Bank locations will close at 3 p.m. Thursday, February 3, 2022. Bank personnel are actively monitoring the weather and will post further updates regarding location hours on the bank’s social media pages.
- City National Bank will be closing at 3 p.m. Thursday and drive-thrus opening at 8 am on Friday.
Friday, Feb. 4, 2022
- CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs cancelled this week’s COVID vaccine clinic that was schedule for Friday, Feb. 4, from 9 to 11 a.m. Clinics will resume as usual on Friday, Feb. 11, from 9 to 11 a.m.
- City of Sulphur Springs offices will be closed on Friday due to weather, according to the city manager. This will again include City Hall (including the Municipal Court), City Utilities Office, Sulphur Springs Public Library, Municipal Airport and Senior Citizens Center closed Feb. 4, 2022. Sulphur Springs Fire Department and Police Department, utilities and public works personnel will still report for work Friday according to schedule.
- BINGO and Learning with Libby are cancelled on Friday, along with the Senior Citizens Center.
- Como-Pickton CISD will remain closed Friday. All varsity games will be rescheduled for make-up. Junior High and JV games will not. CPCISD will not have to make up Feb. 3-4. Classes will resume at normal time on Monday, Feb. 7.
- Cumby ISD will remain closed Friday, Feb. 4. Classes will resume Monday, Feb. 7, according to Mrs. Slaughter and the admin team.
- Hopkins County offices will remain closed Friday due to the weather and road conditions. The sheriff’s office, fire department and road crews will continue to report for work as assigned. All county officers at to re-open on Monday.
- Meal A Day will not be cooking or delivering lunches on Friday. Meal A Day driver delivered cans of soup and stew to all of the seniors citizens on the Meal A Day routes Wednesday to provide them with something they can eat the rest of the week.
- No school Friday at Miller Grove ISD. Feb. 4 is a regularly scheduled holiday.
- The NETX Public Health District will NOT be providing pediatric or adult COVID vaccines Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Sulphur Springs.
- North Hopkins ISD will remain closed on Friday, Feb. 4,2022. Scheduled activities are cancelled. Games/homecoming activities to be rescheduled for Wednesday, February 9; more information to be released. Classes will resume Tuesday, February 8, as Monday is a scheduled non-school day for NHISD
- Paris Junior College will continue to be closed Friday, Feb. 4, due to winter weather. Updates will be posted on PJD Dragon Alerts and on the PJC Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.
- Saltillo ISD will have a 10 a.m. delayed start Friday, Feb. 4. In order to meet mandatory minutes required by TEA, Presidents Day will no longer be a school holiday. Saltillo ISD will have school Monday, Feb. 21
- Sulphur Bluff ISD will remain closed Friday. Basketball has been rescheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m.
- Sulphur Springs ISD will be closed on Friday, Feb. 4, due to inclement weather. No decisions have been made about extracurricular activities at this time.
- Due to continued hazardous conditions, closure of the Texas A&M University-Commerce main campus and Dallas site has been extended through Friday, February 4, 2022.
- Yantis ISD will be closed Friday due to the inclement weather. Classes will resume as usual on Monday.
Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022
- Sulphur Bluff Basketball has been rescheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m.
For Additional Information
Those who have can are encouraged to stay home off the roads as the winter weather continues, with snow and sleet over a sheet of ice on roads, making some streets and highways slick as snot. At least one section of I-30 just east of Cumby was shut down as truckers had difficulties making it over the slick hill.
At 7:16 a.m. Thursday, HCSO reported road conditions had started to deteriorate, with trees and power lines down on the west side of Hopkins County. At 8:26 a.m., a tree had fallen across FM 275, North of Miller Grove.
Those who must be out on the roads can check current road conditions online at Texas Department of Transportation. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is also started posting updates Thursday morning on the department’s Facebook account of storm-related road issues.
Stay tuned to KSST Radio 1230 AM for updates on local weather conditions, or go online to the National Weather Service website.
TDI: Winter Driving Tips To Help Keep Your Family Safe
Even in Texas, winter weather can turn your daily commute into an icy obstacle course. Texas Department of Insurance offers the following winter driving tips to help you stay safe if you take to the road in the cold.
- Winterize As Early As Possible.
- Check your car before the weather changes. Test your battery, antifreeze, windshield wipers and fluid, headlights and hazards, heater and defroster, brakes, tire pressure, and tire tread.
- Check roads and weather.
- You probably have apps for directions and weather, but you can also get road conditions from the Texas Department of Transportation. For weather tips and local conditions, visit the National Weather Service.
- Plan ahead.
- Leave plenty of time to get where you’re going. If you can wait for better weather, you should. And if there’s a route that lets you avoid bridges, ramps, and overpasses, take it.
- Slow down, stay back.
- Reduce your speed and don’t tailgate. If there’s ice on the road, you’ll need three times as much space to stop. If you do start to skid, steer in the direction of the skid.
- Keep an emergency kit.
- If you get stuck, stay in your car. Keep a fully charged cell phone, charger, and a hand-crank or battery-operated radio handy. It can also help to have jumper cables, a spare tire, flares, blankets, a flashlight and batteries, cat litter or sand for traction, food and water, a first-aid kit, and matches.
* Updated: Missing Teen Found
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office deputies at 3:43 p.m. Feb. 2 asked for help locating Kaden Noguera, who lives on County Road 4708, north of Sulphur Springs Lake. The 16-year-old male, HCSO officials at that time reported, he was last seen before 11 a.m. Wednesday, at his residence. It was unknown if he left on foot or in a vehicle. Later Wednesday, HCSO reported the teen had been located and was safe
City Manager’s Report – Feb. 1, 2022
Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell presented the following report to the City Council during the regular monthly council meeting on Feb. 1, 2022.
COVID-19 RESPONSE
We really don’t know the number of active COVID cases in Hopkins County. The state has once again changed its system for tracking COVID, and staff has lost confidence in the state’s numbers. Our most reliable indicator is the number of covid patients in the hospital. Today we have 24 patients in the covid unit, down from 35 two weeks ago. We saw quite a few employees out with COVID a couple of weeks ago, but things seem to be returning to normal (relatively) now.
CLAIMS
We did not have any liability claims in January. We did have 3 workers compensation claims from police officers involved in an arrest that turned violent. The officers all sustained minor injuries and have been released to work.
SENIOR CITIZENS BUILDING
We have applied for $2.4 million in grant funding for the project in addition to the $1.5 million already allotted from bond proceeds.
PACIFIC PARK
The fitness court is completed. We will likely hold a ribbon cutting/opening event in early March. Thank you to Saputo and Christus Trinity Mother Frances for making the project possible with your generosity.
The Capital Construction Division recently installed 680 feet of sub-surface drainage system for the playground, and water and sewer taps for the new bathrooms.
COLLEGE STREET
Atmos has relocated the gas main that was holding up the project, and now the project will continue eastward. Expect to see some drainage work just west of the rail spur.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES
Finance Director Lesa Smith will present a report of year-to-date revenues and expenditures.
RUNWAY/TAXIWAY REHAB
This $1.9 million project is completed.
LIBRARY REMODEL
Contractors recently replaced carpet and repainted the library interior. Library staff also took delivery of new furniture in January. The update is funded by the Friends of the Library Foundation. Stay tuned for more exciting developments.
STREET IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
Texana land and Asphalt has begun the Lee Street project. They have already ground off the asphalt surface. Next, they will cement stabilize the road base, followed by a new asphalt driving surface. In next month’s manager’s report, I will publish the list of 2022 Street Improvement Program Projects.
MISCELLANEOUS
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
• Made 20 extensive street repairs following utility repairs.
• Repaired a storm drain/sink hole in the Stonebriar addition.
• Repaired 201 potholes.
• Hauled street sweeper spoils to the landfill.
• Sold 2,574 gallons of AvGas and 12,120 gallons of JetA fuel.
• Accommodated 1,160 operations at the Airport.
• Responded to 361 fire/rescue calls including 7 structure fires and 1 vehicle fire.
• Responded to 156 animal control calls while achieving a 92% adoption rate
• Made 4 felony arrests in the Special Crimes Unit.
• Responded to 29 accidents, wrote 479 traffic citations, recorded 42 offences, and made 31 arrests in the Patrol Division.
• Repaired glass bathroom windows.
• Removed Christmas decorations downtown.
• Trimmed trees and undergrowth at Buford Park.
• Cleaned shoreline at Coleman Lake.
• Conducted 30 building inspections, 10 electrical inspections, 12 plumbing inspections, 4 mechanical inspections and issued 23 building permits.
• Checked out 2,938 materials and 795 eBooks from the library.
• Replaced carpet in and repainted the library.
• Repaired the tornado siren at Fire Station #2.
• Installed new lighting at the library, Imagination Mountain parking lot, Department #60 on Middle Street and Fire Station #1.
• Made preparations for upcoming cold weather.
• Performed preventative maintenance on numerous items at the Wastewater
Treatment Plant and the Water Treatment Plant.
• Treated wastewater to a daily average total suspended solids value of .56 mg/L
• Learned the wastewater treatment plant is a candidate for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year from the Water Environmental Association of Texas.
• Sent 187 tons of wastewater sludge out for composting and sent another 46 tons to the landfill.
• Repaired 14 ruptured water mains and replaced 5 water meters.
• Unstopped 44 sewer mains.
• Washed 75,000 feet of water mains.
• Flushed 36 dead-end water mains.
• Sold 145 million gallons of potable water
Wildcats Colt Silman and Jakobe Yarbrough Sign On to Play at Next Level
Wildcats football players Colt Silman and Jakobe Yarbrough both signed their national letters of intent Wednesday, Feb. 2 at the Multi Purpose Building to play football at the next level.
Wide receiver and corner Colt Silman heads to ETBU in nearby Marshall and Yarbrough is a bit further from home in Conway, AR to play at Hendrix College.
Silman is set to play WR at ETBU.
The senior slot receiver is the son of Bruce and Julie Silman.
Silman had the chance to visit the campus about a month ago, when he also met the coaching staff.
The senior said ETBU felt like a good fit for him. The senior is undeclared with his major.
The second signee on Wednesday Feb. 2, Jakobe Yarbrough, signed his NLI to play at Hendrix College.
The center is the son of Miguel and Cassandra Yarbrough.
While Hendrix may be a four hour drive, it is not too far removed that Yarbrough could not make the trip back to Sulphur Springs if need be.
Yarbrough will continue playing center as he did for the previous two seasons for the varsity football team.
The senior said Hendrix was the only college that gave him an offer to play in college, but was told by the coaching staff that he has a good chance of starting for the Warriors his freshman year.
Yarbrough said he wants to be a coach, so he expects to go through education and training courses to prepare for such a profession.
Current head football coach and athletic director of SSISD Greg Owens talked about his football players before they signed the dotted line.
“Any time you can advance yourself and can go and have a higher academic opportunity and you can also get to play sports along with it, what a great opportunity,” Coach Owens said. “These guys are going to phenomenal universities [and] they’re gonna have a great time,” the head football coach said.
Coach Keenan Clayton spoke fondly of his time with Colt.
He said that while he only got to coach the senior for one year, he talked of how hard-working and teachable the senior wideout was.
“[Colt is] a great worker… hard worker, [and did] anything I asked him to do,” Coach Clayton said. “Whenever you go to the next level take that with you,” the Wildcats coach said, “…the hard work, the learning, take all that with you. Use them to the best of your ability and have fun,” Coach Clayton said.
Coach Jeremy Offutt coached Yarbrough for four years, and saw an incredible amount of growth over that time. The OL coach said Yarbrough’s freshman year he lacked confidence, even going into his sophomore year.
That all changed his junior year, when all of a sudden “[Yarbrough’s] Light just came on, and from that moment, it was like every single game was better, everything he did was better, and all of a sudden you start seeing a confident guy,” Coach Offutt said.
The OL coach said he was proud of who he is and proud of everything he has accomplished in his time in Sulphur Springs.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
SSISD, Other Weather Closures & Preparations
As the winter storm approaches, schools and businesses are evaluating conditions and making preparations and decisions regarding operations. Below are some of those changes and preparations that have been reported to KSST.
- CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs is cancelling this week’s COVID vaccine clinic that was schedule for Friday, Feb. 4, from 9 to 11 a.m. Clinics will resume as usual on Friday, Feb. 11, from 9 to 11 a.m.
- The NETX Public Health District will NOT be providing pediatric or adult COVID vaccines on Thursday, Feb. 3 and Friday, Feb. 4, 2022.
- There will be no activities at Central Baptist Church Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022.
- No classes will be held or meal served at League Street Church of Christ Feb. 2.
- All Sulphur Springs ISD campuses and offices will be closed Thursday, February 3, due to inclement weather. All school activities are canceled or postponed. All school activities will continue as scheduled Wednesday and after school Wednesday, February 2. District administrators had not yet decided whether it will be necessary to close school Friday. SSISD officials said at noon they will communicate that decision as soon as possible.
- Due to the dangerous road conditions anticipated for later Wednesday and Thursday by the accumulation of ice and snow, all classes on the main Texas A&M University-Commerce campus and the Dallas site are canceled for Wednesday evening (effective at 5 p.m.) and the University will be closed through Thursday, February 3.
- Paris Junior College will be closed Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4, due to winter weather. Updates will be posted on PJD Dragon Alerts and on the PJC Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.
- Como-Pickton CISD will be closed this Thursday and Friday. All varsity games will be rescheduled for make-up. Junior High and JV games will not. Administrators built the school calendar to anticipate days like these are predicted to be. CPCISD will not have to make up Feb. 3-4. Classes will resume at normal time on Monday, February 7, CPCISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Bower announced.
- All Hopkins County offices except emergency responders will be closed on Thursday. County Fire Department and Sheriff’s Office staff will report for duty, as will precinct road hands. A decision regarding Friday will be made and announced by Thursday afternoon, according to Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom.
- Little Acorn will be closed Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022.
- Saltillo ISD will be closed tomorrow Thursday, Feb. 3, and will have a 10 start Friday, Feb. 4. In order to meet mandatory minutes required by TEA, Presidents Day will no longer be a school holiday. Saltillo ISD will have school Monday, Feb. 21.
- All Cumby ISD campuses and offices will be closed Thursday, Feb. 3. All activities are also cancelled and will be rescheduled. School officials will continue to assess the situation and make a decision by noon Thursday regarding Friday.
- Sulphur Bluff ISD will close Thursday and Friday. Basketball has been rescheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m.
- North Hopkins ISD will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, February 3, 2022. All scheduled activities for Thursday will be cancelled. A determination for the status for Friday will be released later.
- Yantis ISD will be closed Thursday, February 3, 2022. All after school activities for Thursday are canceled and will be rescheduled. YISD officials will assess the weather situation Thursday regarding a school closure for Friday and provide updates throughout the day Feb. 3.
- Miller Grove ISD will be closed on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, and a school holiday is scheduled Friday, so students won’t return to classes until Monday. The high school basketball games scheduled for Friday will be rescheduled later.
- Sulphur Springs City Hall including the Municipal Court, City Utilities Office, Sulphur Springs Public Library, Municipal Airport and Senior Citizens Center will be closed on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, during the predicted winter weather, according to City Manager Marc Maxwell. Sulphur Springs Fire Department and Police Department, services, utilities and public works will still report for work Thursday. BINGO and Learning with Libby will also be cancelled on Friday.
- Meal A Day will not be cooking or delivering lunches on Thursday or Friday. Meal A Day driver delivered cans of soup and stew to all of the seniors citizens on the Meal A Day routes Wednesday to provide them with something they can eat on Thursday and Friday.
City staff have trucks ready to go in the morning to sand and salt city intersections. Public utilities staff are checking generators to make sure they are ready to go if needed and response vehicles are being equipped with chains, according to the city manager.
Maxwell encourages those who can to run their errands on Wednesday ahead of the icy storm front and to stay home off the roads Thursday if possible.
Plans are in place if it become necessary to provide shelter for residents should the storm knock out power for an extended period of time in the city. That will be announced if the need arises.
Texas Department of Transportation crews are pretreating roads in all parts of the state for the winter storm expected, but driving can still be hazardous. TxDOT officials recommend everyone stay home if they can, and those would can’t avoid driving in wintry weather should stay informed by visiting DriveTexas.org for the latest road conditions.
City Applying For 2 Grants Which Would Provide 18 New Portable Radios For SSPD Patrol Officers
Contractor Selected for Phase I of College Street rebuilding & Sidewalk Project, Reinvestment Zone For Designated For D6, Industrial Drive Property Rezoned
Sulphur Springs City Council worked through the regular meeting agenda – which included application for two grants for portable radios, selecting a contractor for Phase I of College Street rebuilding and sidewalk project, and approval of a reinvestment zone and zoning request – in 40 minutes Tuesday night.
Radio Grants
Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson asked the City Council to approve Resolutions No. 1288 and 1289 allowing city staff to submit two grant applications to the Office of the Governor, one to the Homeland Security Division for $19,000 for 10 new portable radios and another to the Criminal Justice Division $15,200 for eight portable radios, to be used by police patrol officers. to replace radios which have all but outlived their useful lives. The city typically applies for these grants annually. If awarded, there is not fund match required for the grants. The Council gave full approval of both.
Profiling Report, Mitigation Action Plan
Ricketson also asked the council to adopt the Hopkins County Mitigation Action Plan Municipalities and other entities are required to update and adopt a plan every 5 years in order to apply for certain grants, such as funding received last year to a assist with costs associated with the 2021 winter storm which shut down most everything for several days. While the plan must be on file, the city does discretion regarding how and whether all portions are followed or not, based on needs at the time. The council approved the plan, just as Hopkins County Commissioners Court approved the plan last month as well.
Ricketson also provided City Council members with a 7-page racial profiling report, which he asked them to approve so that the required document can be submitted to Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. He reported more traffic stops were made in 2021 than 2020, up from around 9,000 in 2020 to about 10,200 in 2021. Precinct 2 Councilman Harold Nash asked if the report details the reasons for the various stops. Ricketson noted that page 2 give a generic overview of that information. He said every time an officer makes a traffic stop, the information is pulled from the report by the electronic system, and at the end of the year, that information is pooled into one composite report. The council approved the submission of the report.
Tax Abatement Policy
Sulphur Springs-Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Roger Feagley reported that the Legislature stipulates that Tax Abatement Policies expire every 2 years, unless reauthorized by each taxing entity biennially.
He submitted a policy ne said is almost exactly the same as in the past. The exception is that the policy approved Tuesday night removes a 7-year abatement from the schedule of options and changes the amount of new investment required before a business can apply for a tax incentive from $300,000 to $500,000 for a 5-year abatement and from $3 million to $5 million investment for a 10-year tax abatement. Feagley said in is 17 years with the EDC, he has never had anyone request a 7-year abatement, so the option was removed.
The amount of abatement of ad valorem taxes for a 5-year agreement would decrease by 20 % each year and for a 10-year abatement would be reduced by 10% each year of the agreement. In other words, the abatement for a 5-year agreement would start at 100% on year 1, then reduce to 80% in year 2, 60% in year 3, 40 % in year 4 and 20% in year 5. Similarly, a business granted a 10-year agreement would have 100% abated in year 1, 90% year 2, and decreasing each year by 10%.
Feagley said he uses the policy when negotiating with companies, offering incentives for the business to open new facilities in Sulphur Springs or to expand existing facilities. There must be a policy in place before he can speak with businesses about economic development in Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County. Hopkins County Hospital District and Hopkins County Commissioners Court last month approved similar tax abatement policies as well.
The City Council approved the tax abatement policy as presented.
The City Council authorized the city manager to negotiate a real estate acquisition for drainage purposes discussed during an executive session prior to the open council meeting.
Zoning Matters
Ordinance No. 2796 establishing a reinvestment zone for D6, Inc., also was approved by the City Council at the Feb. 1, 2022 meeting. The business opened a branch in Sulphur Springs on Industrial Drive in December 2020. In October, the Governor announced the business had been awarded grants to help D6 relocate its headquarters from Portland, Oregon to Sulphur Springs, Texas, as well as an expansion, on property just across the road from the current facility. In order to apply for a tax abatement from Hopkins county Hospital District, a reinvestment zone must be established for the project.
College Street Project
During his monthly report, City Manager Marc Maxwell noted that Atmos has relocated the gas main that was holding up the College Street project, and now the project will continue eastward. Residents should expect to see some drainage work just west of the rail spur.
Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Lesa Smith reported the city received 2 bids for excavation, stabilization, concrete pavement and sidewalks for Phase I of the College Street project. She reported Highway 19 Construction bid $767,519.48 and Drake Construction bid $936,818.50. She said city staff felt fortunate to receive the two bids; some other contractors in the industry declined to bid on the project, some citing being too busy to take it on and others not having enough workers. Smith said the city engineer was pleased with the low bid and city staff recommended accepting it.
The City Council approved the low bid from Highway 19 Construction for excavation, stabilization, concrete pavement and sidewalks for Phase I of the College Street improvement project.
Other Business
The City Council too approved Resolution No. 1294 authorizing the city’s continued participation in the Atmos Cities Steering Committee, and authorizing the payment of 5-cents per capita to the committee to fund regulatory and related activities related to Atmos Energy corporation.
Adam Henry with the USDA Texas Wildlife Program-Fort Worth Metro Area via Zoom told the council that his department could train city staff in tactics, and where to buy and how to use pyro hand harassment tools to help move black vultures from trees in the Fore and Garrison Street area. Ideally, the tools would be used for about 5 days to run the vultures off their roosts and get them moving another direction. He said there would be no fee charged by his department to train city staff, but there would be a fee if his department came in a conducted the work.
Maxwell asked how soon they could begin the process. Henry said in about 2 weeks, which should provide time for the tools to be obtained. He’d have the city crew chief set up with Henry a schedule for city staff to be trained.
Gene White, who approached the City Council during public forum at the January 4 meeting about the buzzards or black vultures creating a problem in the area, complimented and expressed appreciation to the city for moving quickly to find a remedy for the issue and expressed appreciation to Place 1 Councilman Jay Julian for his call regarding the issue.
The City Council also approved the consent agenda, which in addition to minutes from 3 past meetings, also included approval 380 agreements for 409 Sheffield Street, 115/119 Nicholson Street, 408 Houston Street, 412 Houston Street, 204 West Beckham and 950 Church Street.
Johns Sellers read a proclamation declaring February as Black History Month and encouraged others to take the time to learn more about and recognize Black Americans’ contributions, health and wellness initiatives, and honor Black American leaders’ progress in human rights and strides for minority groups.
The City Council also approved Resolution No. 1293 calling for a general election for Places 4 and 5 on council. As of Tuesday, incumbent Gary Spraggins was the only candidate reported to have filed for a place on the May 7 City Council ballot.
